A new collaborative initiative by UK Power Networks DSO and National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) aims to make local energy planning faster, simpler and more effective for local authorities.
The project takes a major step towards a more consistent, joined up approach to planning the energy system by building on established cross-sector collaboration between UK Power Networks DSO, Cadent and SGN.
It builds on work first started as part of the Open Networks project run by the Energy Networks Association in 2020. The project has delivered a standardised Local Authority Common Ask for sharing granular spatial forecasts, including Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) results. LAEPs provide a blueprint for local energy planning, giving utilities and local authorities a shared roadmap that links planned development and decarbonisation ambitions to future network investment.
By enabling data to be shared in the same format to networks removes the burden of working with different formats, structures and assumptions. This also helps local authorities served by the three organisations to set out a clear format to share their plans to inform network investments, it said.
his new project means LAEP outcomes can be shared and interpreted quickly, helping councils to make decisions on heat, transport, and energy infrastructure planning more easily, it added.
Standardised LAEP outputs will give DSOs more consistent, higher-quality data to feed into key network planning and investment processes, such as Distribution Future Energy Scenarios (DFES) and the Distribution Network Options Assessment (DNOA).
The project also demonstrates cross-sector collaboration between multiple DSOs, local authorities, and delivery partners ERM and Regen. Other DSOs have already expressed interest, indicating potential for national scalability, it added.
Sarah Kerr, energy systems lead at Oxfordshire County Council said:
“Local authorities like us rely on clear, consistent and high-quality data to deliver our net zero ambitions. This standardised
template removes a major barrier for councils like ours that work with more than one DNO.
“It will save time and resources while giving us the confidence that our plans are fully aligned with regional and national energy needs. We welcome the collaborative approach taken and see real potential for the template to be adopted widely.”
Lynne McDonald, head of local net zero at UK Power Networks said:
“This joint DSO initiative is a powerful example of sector-wide collaboration to make life simpler for local authorities.
“By standardising how councils can share their clean energy and growth data, we enable data to be “shared once” by our local authorities and then this data used by all local utilities. That means smarter, more efficient planning and investment decisions shaped by local needs – ultimately delivering benefits for every electricity customer.”
Image shows members from UK Power Networks, NGED and SSEN at a Joint DSO working group meeting
